nice work! good to see a fellow previs artist here on the forums. not too many know what we do, but our industry segment is really taking off.

my crit would be to split the screen left/right instead of top/down. makes it easier to process. also it feels like theres too many split screen shots. id keep the ones that line up with the post shots, but for the ones that dont, full screen em.

my crit would be to split the screen left/right instead of top/down. makes it easier to process.
First version was splited horizontally, and everybody says "oh no, it is hard to watch, make vertical split!" :) You can compare by yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TerqzG9aEEI

EricDLegare

01-17-2010, 12:06 AM

[ First version was splited horizontally, and everybody says "oh no, it is hard to watch, make vertical split!" :) You can compare by yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TerqzG9aEEI

I also like the horizontal version better, but anyway both are nice, it's true that Previs people are not getting enough attention, it's nice to see previs in here :thumbsup:

Kev3D

01-18-2010, 03:28 PM

He, some very nice work there. People under-estimate how useful previs is! It makes things run so much smoother.

Astraz

01-19-2010, 03:36 PM

Thanks for good words!
Previs people are not getting enough attention..
That's because most of audience isn't involved in production process, they prefer highpoly GI-rendered pictures instead of rough lowpoly animations. But I don't feel lack of attention, 'cause it's easy to see importance of your work when you're inside of very heart of process. ;)

EricDLegare

01-19-2010, 07:23 PM

Thanks for good words!

That's because most of audience isn't involved in production process, they prefer highpoly GI-rendered pictures instead of rough lowpoly animations. But I don't feel lack of attention, 'cause it's easy to see importance of your work when you're inside of very heart of process. ;)

hehe, as a TD I understand ;) nobody sees the pipeline tools involved in the movie...

RobertoOrtiz

01-23-2010, 04:40 PM

We dont get many Pre-viz reels.

I like this one a lot.
Could you talk a bit more about your workflow.

And BTW plugged.

-R

PhantomDesign

01-23-2010, 06:54 PM

Must say I'm very impressed. I would definitely place your resume on the top of the list, if I was in the position of hiring people.

Grgeon

01-23-2010, 07:07 PM

Awesome camera work. What are your primary tools?

-GC

tinytimw52

01-23-2010, 07:49 PM

Thats a dam good reel! Good job

DanHibiki

01-23-2010, 07:51 PM

You wouldn't happen to be involved in another Bekmombetov project would you? nudge, nudge, wink, wink, Posledniy Dozor?

edit: oops, I mean Twilight Watch

tinytimw52

01-23-2010, 07:57 PM

how much do you make a year?

Jettatore

01-23-2010, 10:02 PM

Very well done reel and content. Congrats.

Vozzz

01-24-2010, 12:28 AM

yeah, got to say awesome stuff!

I didn't know it was a seperate job. Maybe i should get into that direction. Seems like fun.

jigu

01-24-2010, 04:45 AM

Great stuff! really impressive.

Bayaron

01-24-2010, 05:05 AM

Good job! =)

maxspider3000

01-24-2010, 11:01 AM

interesting ... it was a new thing to watch and have a great quality

so, you are the 1st guy that director sit with to define all of what he will do after the storyboard, right ?

I have some questions if you don't mind :
- is it a good job for living ?
- is there previs guys specialist on that? or they just pick any 3d artist to do that stuff?
- do you have good skills on other things such as :modeling, lighting, texturing, character animation ... etc? or you just know things required to do previs works?

thanks in advanced

-Yusuf

metroeast

01-24-2010, 11:51 AM

What a great reel! Previs was overlooked in the past but it really is critical these days. Especially with scenes with intense effects. I loved both Daywatch and Nightwatch as well as Wanted. Would love to know what the workflow you had in working on these. Did they give you a script and say go? or was the DOP over your shoulder asking how they wanted each frame to look like.

Thanks a lot for sharing your reel.

darubio

01-25-2010, 03:29 AM

thats fanstatic! i loved it :applause:

Shenan

01-25-2010, 04:02 AM

Ah, Mr. Sokolov, nice reel there!

I attended a round-table on previs in 2008 in which Mr. Bekmanbetov was a panel member. He had clips from "Wanted" previs that looked very good and he had very good things to say about his Russian previs guy/team. I was amazed at the rate of animation per day he said you (I assume it was you he was speaking of) could get done. I won't mention what amount he told us in case you don't want it known, but if it's not confidential, would you mind telling us how much animation you usually could do per day on "Wanted" and in general in your work?

That panel on previs was really interesting to me, because I think it's an appealing field for those who like to be able to see the results of their work much faster than with traditional "beauty shot" type animations.

Thanks!

ShadowM8

01-25-2010, 07:01 PM

Nice work Alex,
Good to see the CGI industry in Russia gaining it's strength and maturing.

Astraz

01-26-2010, 03:42 AM

PhantomDesign, tinytimw52, Jettatore, jigu, Bayaron, darubio
Thanks a lot guys! Sorry for late answers, I was working hardly during this weekend.

Could you talk a bit more about your workflow. And BTW plugged. Thank you Roberto!!! It's a great honour for me to be here! Will try to uncover subject in a next few days.

Awesome camera work. What are your primary tools? Thanks! Usually it's 3ds max and after effects. But every animator will tell you that it's not critical.

You wouldn't happen to be involved in another Bekmombetov project would you? nudge, nudge, wink, wink, Posledniy Dozor? edit: oops, I mean Twilight Watch Nope, something goes wrong and now I'm working as freelance animator/supe. :)

I didn't know it was a separate job. Maybe i should get into that direction. Seems like fun.To be honest it's really hard and stressful job. You have to work very fast, very-very fast. And you should achieve results expected by director. In spite of all difficulties, long rendertimes and software bugs. There is no "wait, I have to re-render it" or "no, I can't do this today" on this job.

But it is really fun to come to location and watch how it's become real. And I saw Angelina Jolie at arm's length distance, yep! :)

so, you are the 1st guy that director sit with to define all of what he will do after the storyboard, right ? Not really. There are a lot of creative people in every big team. And everybody has a lot of ideas. They discussing every aspect of it all the time.

My job is to test ideas in 3d space and prepare version of script for people "without imagination". Producers, clients etc. Of course I make this throughout my own vision. But it's not uniqe profession, one of many others.

- is it a good job for living ?
- is there previs guys specialist on that? or they just pick any 3d artist to do that stuff?There are a lot of overtimes, and a lot of rush. It's really interesting to be a part of constructing stories, but sometimes I become too nervous then I have to make something complex (i.e. camera movement) and nothing good comes out :)

Usually previs artists can work on vfx-shots and ad-videos too. But not every 3d-generalist can become good animator with DOP's experience. So it's heavily depends on a skills and communication abilities of exact artist.

Previs was overlooked in the past but it really is critical these days. Especially with scenes with intense effects. I loved both Daywatch and Nightwatch as well as Wanted.Thanks a lot! Yes, good pre-production is a key for good results after shooting and post. There are different ways to make animatics, I passed most of them, will write my story below.

Nice work Alex, Good to see the CGI industry in Russia gaining it's strength and maturing. Thanks! It's hard to say is it gaining strength or not :) A lot of things is still very strange here, in Russia.

After several hundreds of projects such Wanted we will become "mature". Now we're learning hardly!

I won't mention what amount he told us in case you don't want it known, but if it's not confidential, would you mind telling us how much animation you usually could do per day on "Wanted" and in general in your work?Thank you. It was more than 3 years ago, I can't remember all the details of process :) I think Timur was speaking about previs team, several people. It was really great team!

Soon I will write more about these days and how we are working now.

Thanks again,
Alexander

gandoza

01-26-2010, 12:18 PM

Awesome work.

Cian

01-26-2010, 03:26 PM

Very nice work. :thumbsup:
Well done.

Cian.

lehmi

01-26-2010, 04:51 PM

this is too hard to watch.

If you watch the upper part the lower part distracts. If you watch the lower part the upper part distracts. Why don't you show the scenes one after the other?

Lambchopo

01-26-2010, 10:50 PM

nice! love the presentation.

semaloc

01-29-2010, 07:47 AM

Awesome work! Congrats on the front page!

Scazzino

02-02-2010, 07:17 PM

Lots of cool stuff in the reel! :thumbsup:

It's hard to make pre-vis stand on its own, without all the rendering etc., but this looks great, especially the side-by-side shots with the prev-vis and the rendered shots.

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